Arthur f



(No Model.) 4

' A. F. PRITSGHAU.

NUT LOOK.

No. 430,404. Patented June 17,1890.

@tesir jv'entor v v Wk. QM W W Tu: male Finns cu, movouna NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR F. PRITSCHAU, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF PART TO- LEO MANGER, HARRY S. MCDOWELL, AND \VILLIAM J. ROTHWELL, ALL

OF SAME PLACE.

NUT-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 430,404, dated June 17, 1890. Application filed November 30, 1889. gerial No. 332,109. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR F. PRITSCHAU, of Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Nut-Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Myinvention relates to an improvement in nut-locks, the object of the same being to provide a nut-lock which may be conveniently secured to the bolt, and which will automatically lock the nut.

A further object is to provide a lock of the above character which will be 'simple and economical in construction and durable and efficient-in use; and with these ends in view my invention consists in the certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

111 the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in side elevation of a rail with the nut-lock attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a view of the wedge portion. Fig. 4 is a'view of the lower spring portion, and Fig. 5 is a side and partial end view of the steel plate from which the locks are stamped.

In the drawings, A represents a rail, and B a bolt passing-through the rail and fish-plate C. The lower spring-section A is wedgeshaped, as shown, and is provided with the oblong slot B, extending through its center. The lower portion of the section A is provided with the cross-pieee O, the ends of which are curved downwardly, forming spring-arms. The wedge D is provided with the hole E.

In practice the bolt is passed through the rail and plate, and the section A is then placed on the bolt, with the cross pieee O resting on the flange of the rail. The wedge D is then placed on the bolt with its broad end upward, as shown in Fig. 2, the inclined side of the wedge engaging section A. The nut F is then placed on the bolt, and as the sameis being screwed home a downward pressure should be exerted on section A, which will cause the spring-arms to flatten out, and when the nut is secure and the pressure removed from section A it will spring upward, thereby forcing the wedge D against the nut and automatically retaining the same against motion.

The pieces are cut out of bars by a stamping-machine, with a strip of spring-steel rolled thereon, as shown in Fig. 5. The sections marked A represent the pieces with the springs and slotrholes, and those marked D represent the Wedge-shaped small pieces. It will be observed that the pieces marked O are each equal in length to half the Width of the pieces D. Therefore, since a large piece alternates with a small piece, it is evident that there is no Waste of materiah Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A device for locking-nuts, consisting of the Wedge-shaped section having lower springarms adapted to bear against the flange of a rail, and an upper wedge-shaped section bearing against the lower section and automatically locking the nut, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a nut-lock, the combination, with a wedge-shaped section having an oblong slot formed therein, and spring-arms adapted to engage the flange of a rail, of an upper section engaging the lower section, whereby the said upper section may be automatically forced outward when the springs are relaxed, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR F. PRITSCHAU.

WVitnesses;

ALF. G. ERLENBORN, LE0 MANGER. 

